Cinnamomum japonicum(CCE) is a genus of plants in the family Cinnamomum. Traditionally CCE has
been already used for traditional medicine in Korea. But the study about antidepressant-like activity and
related molecular mechanisms of CCE were not studied well. The effects of subacute treatment with
CCE(100 and 200 mg/kg, p.o.) on immobility and FST-induced changes of immune parameters were
investigated by using the forced swimming test (FST) in rats. As a result, CCE immobility decreases with
a dose-dependency in the FST. The levels of cortisol, IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α of treatment group were
significantly decreased than those of the FST group. Similarly p-p65 and p-65 activity of treatment group
were decreased than those of the FST group. In all, these results indicate that CCE extract can be a very
effective treatment for depression, suggesting that The down-regulation of NFkB activity is related to
Antidepressant Effect of Berchemia berchemiaefolia.